Peanut butter vs Split peas (cooked): which protein is cheaper?

This one is not a trade-off

Split peas (cooked) is both the cheaper protein ($0.022/g against $0.022/g) and the leaner one (7.2 g protein per 100 kcal against 4.3 g). Most matchups force you to pick a side. This one does not, so peanut butter has to win on taste, prep time or what else it brings to the meal, because it is not winning on the numbers.

The amount you actually have to eat

Thirty grams of protein means 361 g of split peas (cooked), against 120 g for peanut butter. That is a real constraint, not a footnote: a price per gram only counts if the serving is one a person will finish. Treat split peas (cooked) as the base of a meal that other protein is added to, not as the protein itself.

What the calories cost you

Getting 30 g of protein from peanut butter brings 706 kcal with it. On a 2,000 kcal day, three servings would be most of your budget before anything else goes on the plate. That is fine when you are eating at maintenance or building, and it is the reason this food falls apart on a cut no matter how good the price per gram looks.

Two budget staples, so the tiebreak is elsewhere

Both of these sit in the cheapest third of everything we track (#7 and #6 of 25), and the difference between them is $0.01 per 30 g of protein. That is small enough that shelf life, prep time and whether you will actually eat it should decide this, not the price column.

Compare against other foods

• Peanut butter vs Oats (dry)Split peas (cooked) vs Oats (dry)
• Peanut butter vs Lentils (cooked)Split peas (cooked) vs Lentils (cooked)
• Peanut butter vs Tofu (firm)Split peas (cooked) vs Tofu (firm)
• Peanut butter vs Black beans (cooked)Split peas (cooked) vs Black beans (cooked)
• Peanut butter vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Split peas (cooked) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
• Peanut butter vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Split peas (cooked) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
• Peanut butter vs Eggs (~2 large)Split peas (cooked) vs Eggs (~2 large)
• Peanut butter vs Chicken breast (raw)Split peas (cooked) vs Chicken breast (raw)
• Peanut butter vs Canned tuna (in water)Split peas (cooked) vs Canned tuna (in water)

Frequently asked

Which is cheaper for protein, peanut butter or split peas (cooked)?

Split peas (cooked), at $0.022 per gram of protein against $0.022 for peanut butter (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.65 vs $0.66.

Which has more protein per calorie, peanut butter or split peas (cooked)?

Split peas (cooked), with 7.2 g protein per 100 kcal against 4.3 g for peanut butter, 1.7x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.

Which should I buy, peanut butter or split peas (cooked)?

Split peas (cooked) wins on both axes here: cheaper per gram of protein and more protein per calorie. Unless taste, prep or the rest of your macros say otherwise, it is the better default.